Stuck
by JadeSelena
Summary: 3x07 follow-up. Peckstein. No real romance but subjective UST. Dov can't help but be stuck.


**I have to ask, is Peckstein being boycotted or is it just _me?_ I'm getting a little paranoid here. If you have issues with the stories please let me know what they are and I'll try to accomodate/ improve.**

**Is it the pairing? The writing? The lack of actual romance (because I try to keep it as close to canon as I can)? Punishment for neglecting God Help Her? lol I would just like to know. Thanks.**

**Anyway, as much as I would have wanted to see how they got there I was quite thrilled with the Gail/Dov scene at the beginning of 3x07. I'm glad to see that they still have no use for personal space, and I know it's totally subjective but I love the way they look at each other. And thus this fic was born. Picks up at the end of the episode.**

**As I'm anxious to watch 3x08 I'm posting rushed so it's probably a little unpolished. Forgive me. And don't worry about spoiling me in replies as I'm going to watch as soon as this is up.**

**I keep forgetting to mention: Don't own the characters or the setting; just using them for a bit.**

**Thanks for reading :)**

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"Everything okay?"

Dov looked up from his clasped hands to find Gail standing in the doorway of the parade room in her civvies. After a second's contemplation he turned his gaze back to the table and sighed, "I'm stuck."

Gail lifted an amused eyebrow at the resignation in his tone. "Yeah? Sue super-glue your chair as payback for avoiding her?" It would certainly explain him not having moved in the twenty minutes since she'd passed to get changed.

"No." He shifted subtly – just to be sure – then reiterated, "I'm just _stuck_…"

It was her turn to sigh. "Dov, I don't know what that means…" Nor did she really _care_ to; why couldn't he have just said 'yes' as common courtesy dictated and let her be on her way?

Hooking a foot in the chair across from him Dov pulled it around to the head of the table for her. "You were right."

And apparently the conversation was going to be a little more involved than Gail had anticipated. She couldn't say he hadn't picked a good way to _start_ it, though… Crossing the room she tossed her bag on the table and turned the proffered seat around to sit with her arms folded across its back. "I'm always right and I talk _a lot_; you're going to have to narrow it down for me some."

"I broke up with her," Dov clarified, running a guilty hand through his hair.

Was he seriously blaming this on _her_? "I didn't tell you to break up with her, _Casanova_; I told you to be _honest_ with her." For all Gail knew Sue would have been happy to play second fiddle to the Markes girl; called it 'supportive.' _Ugh._

"You _told_ me to figure out if she makes me happy…" What other choice did he have, realizing she _didn't_? That he loved the idea of being with her – with someone that loved _him_ – but couldn't will into existence feelings that just weren't there. No matter how much he wished he _could_.

Gail told herself the sense of satisfaction was due to him taking her advice and coming to the right decision; it backfired because she couldn't shake the suspicion that he had an ulterior motive for doing it _now_. "You know I wasn't giving you the green light to jump on the Crystal train, right?" If she had to choose between the two girls for him she would have to go with the one that _didn't_ speak to a need for a session on Freud's couch. "That relationship is all kinds of messed up…"

Dov forwent pointing out that he'd never said Crystal _did _make him happy (for some reason she refused to listen to _anything_ he had to say on the matter) to counter, "And yours with Nick _isn't_?"

"Nick and I are consenting adults _not_ reeling from a life-changing event enjoying a mutually-beneficial arrangement._ You_…" Extending an arm she poked him none-too-gently in the chest. "…dear damaged one, are replacing the brother you accidentally killed _and_ playing attentive boyfriend to the girl all at the same time. It's uber-creepy and could land you a guest spot on _Dr. Phil_…"

Because Dov couldn't really deny it – had said as much himself – he wrapped his hand around her wrist, index finger crooked at her. "What happened to 'I really don't care _what_ it is'?" It was rhetorical – he believed _that_ about as much as he believed she liked the 'arrangement' she had with Nick. She seemed to think if she said something with enough scorn it became automatically convincing. Or magically _true_…

Gail forced an indifferent shrug, certain he could feel her pulse through her skin. "I don't care about a lot of things – doesn't stop me from giving my opinion on them." Reclaiming her hand she patted his cheek before returning it to the chair back and propping her chin in it. "And my _opinion_ is that you should give the psychic a call; get the heads up on if she's gonna go all sister scorned and kill you in your sleep…"

"Gail, I'm not sleeping with her…" He hated that she could think so little of him when he was just trying to do the right thing.

He wasn't sleeping with her _yet_; Gail would bet good money it was only a matter of time now that it wouldn't have that pesky 'cheating' label attached to it… "The guy's a fraud, anyway; said I need to tell the _truth…_"

Dov almost choked on the irony. "You're joking, right? That was _mock _-indignation?"

"Hardly." With all the shit she had going on dude should've been able to swing a dead cat and hit something that _actually_ applied… "I'm _brutally_ honest – just ask everyone who hates me…"

While technically correct Dov thought she was missing the point. Probably intentionally. "You can be honest _without_ telling the truth, Gail." Not that she was particularly inclined towards _either_ if it involved her feelings… "_'There are some that only deploy words for the purpose of disguising their thoughts…_' Sure, ninety percent of what comes out of your mouth is valid, if incendiary, but what you _don't _say could fill the Library of Parliament."

Gail's eyes narrowed. "That's the first time I've ever been accused of not saying _enough._"

The tone was ice and her jaw was clenched – clear signs to drop it – but Dov thought it only fair he get to express _his _opinion for once. "Do I need to recite the list of everything you refuse to talk about?"

It didn't take psychic powers to know what would be at the top of _that_ list… Gail took a steadying breath and shrugged. "Then again, he _did_ say I was hard to read so his senses were probably just overwhelmed by my sheer awesomeness." Giving Dov a critical once-over she mused, "He wouldn't have that problem with you…"

Dov would have pressed the issue if he didn't recognize the dismissal for the free pass it was. She wasn't trapped in a squad with him this time; didn't need to send him to fetch coffee when she could (and _would_, he was confident) just get up and walk away. Promising himself to revisit it when their friendship wasn't _quite_ so tenuous he teased, "Well, not everyone can be as awesome as you…"

"Very true," she readily agreed, secretly grateful that he'd let it go. "Just be careful with her, okay?" From what he'd shared about the attempted break-up the girl didn't seem especially stable; add that to his penchant for finding trouble and… "Next thing you know she'll be knocking off everyone you care about so she can be your everything."

Hearing the note of concern (_before_ she'd masked it with her wry prediction) he couldn't help but test his boundaries with an evocative, "Worried she's going to come after you?"

It wasn't the implication that made Gail's breath hitch so much as the matter-of-fact tone. "I was _talking_ about your mom and Chris." She had no idea what had possessed her to bring it up again at all; attributed it to everything she'd already said seeming to have gone in one ear and out the other. "Come to think of it, you might have just done Sue a favor…"

Despite the brush-off Dov considered the experiment a success because she hadn't made a bee-line for the door. And despite it obviously _being_ a brush-off he suspected she was at least partially serious. "Why do you always assume the worst of people?"

"'Cause then I won't be disappointed when I'm right," she justified with an unconcerned wave. "I like being right too much to let being _wrong_ ruin it for me." Why he _didn't_ – when they were constantly dealing with people who _proved _her right – was far more curious.

Dov pondered it for a second before volunteering, "That's some interesting logic you've got there…" And he totally should have expected it.

"My head is a very scary place, Dov," she shared, patting his knee and standing. "I don't suggest trying to make sense of it…"

With everything she kept trapped up there it was no big surprise, and the smile that didn't quite reach her eyes served as confirmation. "Gail…"

She deftly avoided the hand that was reaching for her and threw her bag over a shoulder. "Come on – we're going to the Penny to 'celebrate' the engagement of D1 and D2." Lifting an eyebrow she proposed, "Unless _you _have a previous engagement…"

Even if Andy _hadn't_ dropped in earlier to tell him about the impending nuptials he could have guessed what was going on from the Things 1 & 2 comparison and the disdain in her voice. Addressing the _other _object of her disdain he predicted, "You're not going to let the Crystal thing go, are you?"

"Not until _you_ do," Gail bluntly concurred. She wasn't above shaming him into doing something (else) for his own good. Or for no reason at all, really.

Running a resigned hand through his hair Dov found his way back to the topic at hand. "It's been a long day; I think I'm just gonna go home." He wasn't much in the celebrating mood, and he didn't want his gloom affecting his friends' happy day.

Gail shrugged. "Whatever – no skin off my nose." Walking away she offered over her shoulder, "Traci might stab you with her shiny new shiv, though…"

Dov knew she didn't believe him, and knowing that Crystal would be calling any minute now he couldn't guarantee she was wrong _not_ to. Coming to a sudden decision he blurted out, "Wanna come with? Make sure I don't succumb to my guilty conscience?"

Turning back to him she marveled, "And _why_ would I want to skip our friends' party to baby_-_sit you? Reward you for your lack of self-control?"

Besides the fact that he wasn't even sure they _were _friends lately? Something _else_ she refused to talk about… "They're going to have an official one. It'll give you time to find a way to make it all about you."

"Your sales pitch is worse than my pep talk," she informed him, unimpressed. "Say 'hi' to Crystal for me…"

He waited until she reached the door to sigh, "Fine – I'll just have to assume you've gotten rusty and you're afraid I'm gonna kick your ass at Death Domain…"

Gail stopped; gave him a look of feigned disinterest. "I'm not afraid of _anything_, much less your meager gaming skills…" Knowing full-well he was baiting her didn't make the challenge any easier to resist.

"Then prove it…" Getting up he sauntered over to her and hooked his thumbs in his belt. "Put your money where your mouth is, Peck."

There was something suggestive in the tone, and between that and the invasion of space standing her ground took a conscious effort. "You remember what happened last time you underestimated me, right? You had to make a fool out of yourself singing my praises…"

"Ah, it wasn't so bad," Dov shrugged. "At least I didn't have to lie…"

Gail didn't know how he managed to be offhand and yet so sincere; such a contrast to her own 'offhand and deliberately cutting'… "So you're admitting if _you'd_ won I would have been lying?" she pertly translated.

"Guess so…" He wouldn't argue when her eyes were shining with the thrill of using his own words against him. "So do we have a bet? Winner gets to ask one question; loser has to answer _honestly_…"

Glancing down at the hand he'd extended (and back up again) she breathed, "You said 'money'…"

Dov was more than a little amused by the ounce of panic coloring her voice. "Oh, so _now_ you're worried?" Not a flinch at the prospect of being taken out by a psycho but mention having to tell the truth and she was suddenly petrified...

Strangely she was more worried about what she'd be tempted to ask when _she_ won… "Fine." Putting her hand in his she threatened, "But if you ditch me half-way through the night because Little Sister had a nightmare I'm going to be borrowing the anniversary shiv to cut a bitch. And I _don't_ mean Crystal…"

When she went to pull away Dov held fast; lifted an eyebrow. "Planning on spending the night, are you?" She wasn't the only one who could twist a meaning to suit their purposes…

If he thought she was going to blush or stutter a retraction he was dead wrong; this was _her _game… Holding his gaze she easily volleyed, "Depends on how drunk you get me…"

The sly grin told Dov she was sure she'd won. "You're a smart girl," he whispered, releasing her so her arm fell to her side. "I'm sure you can figure out how to call a cab…"

Gail blinked at him, wondering how she'd gotten rejected on a proposition she hadn't even _made_. And why it _bothered_ her so much… Lifting her recently freed hand she nonchalantly hiked her bag higher on her shoulder. "I'll meet you in the lot…"

Dov watched her until she was out of sight – a victorious smile playing across his lips – before heading to the locker room to change. It occurred to him that he hadn't really _felt_ stuck until she'd decided to jump feet first (and without explanation) into his life again; wanted to believe it was because she'd forced him to face what he was doing to both girls but knew it was because he was right back to where he'd been last year. Spending time with her when he could, always trying to see through the B.S. and read between the lines and search her eyes for the truth because (heaven knew) they were far more likely to _tell it_ than her mouth was. He realized then that it didn't even _matter_ if he managed to somehow distance himself from Crystal – he was still going to be _stuck_. And anticipating the night ahead he couldn't really say he minded…


End file.
